Year-Round E15 Rule to be Out Before Summer

The Environmental Protection Agency says it will complete a rule allowing for year-round E15 ethanol sales but it will likely be delayed because of the government shutdown.

President Trump pledged to get rid of the ban on E15 during the summer and the EPA says it will have the rule established before that driving season. However, they previously said they would have a proposed rule out by February.

Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor says getting E15 passed will increase consumer access, boost the number of retailers, which could help at the pump. Growth Energy estimates E-15 saves 5-10 cents per gallon.

Skor says, "It will unleash the potential, and we've done some analysis and just within 5 years of getting RVP, we're looking at conservatively 1.3 billion gallons of new ethanol demand. as a result of this regulatory change again because it will produce a step change in the marketplace."

One of the major obstacles aside from government restrictions for selling E15 is preparing stores to sell the product year-round.

With the announcement the EPA was going to end the rule, major retailers in the country have announced programs to expand infrastructure to allow for E15. Casey's General Store as an example plans to expand it to 500 stores.